As a powerful AI tool is integrated into the education system, it is considered a wake-up call for both governments and technology corporations to invest in opportunities that facilitate active participation in the learning process. This funding is aimed at guaranteeing a holistic international education and positioning students favorably in the evolving global landscape dominated by technology.
Internships and Their Relation to AI
A strategist, particularly for educational institutions and government bodies, Lydia Kostopoulos proposed that AI on the school syllabus concedes an opportunity for offering programs such as internships, which would seek to plunge participants into real-world scenarios and cases of AI. Kostopoulos claimed this can happen as early as high school, telling The National on the sidelines of the Governance of Emerging Technology Summit in Abu Dhabi on Monday, May 5, “The sooner that they can start to see the real-world applications and problems of AI, the government can help facilitate that.”
She further spoke of some rule, perhaps with the involvement of business. That would allow high school students summer internships at any company they wish to. Kostopoulos was quoted as stating, “They can also create a rule, which can also happen for the private sector, that students who are in high school in the summers can go and do an internship at any company of their choice.”
Awareness of the Risks and Opportunities
The artificial intelligence (AI) systems in the schools will, according to Oreste Pollicino, a constitutional law and AI instructor at Milan’s Universita Bocconi, expose students to its risks as well as its opportunities. As he elaborated, this will help students interact with the technology more actively, not just passively. Pollicino told The National, “For students [it is really important] to inject awareness because if they know the technology not only from a technical point of view but also from an ethical standpoint, then they will know which are the risks and values, and they are in a much better position to navigate in a simple and safe manner, compared to just being idle.”
UAE’s Schooling AI Policies
On May 4, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, revealed that the UAE plans to adopt AI as a formal subject at all levels of education in government schools. This initiative is planned to take action commencing the next academic year. As per Sheikh Mohammed, AI will be incorporated into the curriculum starting from Reception at the age of four, continuing until the end of grade 12, which is hoped to enable students to attain a tech-centric comprehension of AI” in the future.
Omer Sultan Al Olama, the minister of state for artificial intelligence, also added the policy will shift to utilizing AI technologies in the government infrastructure to improve efficiency and automation, ensuring a whole-government approach to transform AI into a use case.
Along with the knowledge and ethics pertaining to AI and its use, data, algorithms, applications, and even the risks associated with AI are some of the other fundamental aspects that will be taught. As the subject will be taught in the government schools, the decision to teach AI in private schools, which are autonomously regulated, still remains to be decided.
Benefit of Early Initiatives
Kostopoulos and Pollicino are on the same page; using AI at such a tender age is a plus for pupils. They saw this framework as aligned with Emirates’ position as a first mover, especially in regard to the technology industry. In relation to this, Pollicino stated, “AI has many different aspects to it, so it is critical that kids at a very young age start to learn how it works also to understand the limitations.” This implies starting early is critical to comprehending the complexity of AI.
Learning Limitations and Placement of Judgment
She went on to explain that the children also need to understand the fact that AI may not be correct all the time so that they have the ability to challenge erroneous assumptions. In addition, she said this is an asset during their in-between professional lives. As quoted in the excerpt, “The majority of us will really use AI on a day-to-day basis to make decisions, to augment our work to make things move faster. When we do that, we’re going to have to make judgment calls on whether the information the AI gave us is good or not.” This captures the essence of the sufficiency of critical thinking when operating AI tools.
Incremental and Age-Appropriate Approach
Both specialists recommended an incremental or developmental kind of AI education for younger learners. This approach is best suited for students so they’re not shocked by sensitive issues like explicit material and misinformation, which are some of the most pressing problems with AI today. This strategy also fits the UAE’s AI education strategy, which envisions custom units for every age group, beginning with four-year-olds who will actively learn about AI through visual and interactive play.
Gradual Full Immersion
Oreste Pollicino shared his views concerning the progression for learning. He was quoted as stating, “[The age of four] is not too early, but we need a gradual approach: the first year could be the basic [knowledge] without too much pressure, and then only when students are really ready from not only a physical but especially a mental age to learn what the risks are that a much more full immersion [can be done].”
He also pointed out the dangers of moving too fast by adding, “Otherwise the risk is to run [with] too much [knowledge] and not achieve the aim.” Suffice it to say, the quotes underline the need to slow down when taking a more thorough approach to achieve a frame of reference around how realistic objectives are set for effective learning.
